A Long Way - a McRoll in the REAL World story
by Mari217
Summary: Mary & Aaron's wedding week begins with the promised girls' night hosted by Elizabeth.


_Our hearts go out to the victims of the shooting in Las Vegas and their loved ones._

* * *

 **A Long Way**

 **Chateau de Lake Hotel  
California**

A knock a the door of the suite signaled room service had arrived and Catherine opened it to three rolling trays being pushed/pulled by two young waiters.

"Okay, wow, that's a _lot_ of food." Mary shook her head with a smile at Elizabeth. "You're being too generous… when you said appetizers for dinner…" She gave her a brief hug.

"Mom and I couldn't decide, so we chose a little bit of everything. This way we can try all the appetizers and make a meal out of them," Elizabeth said as she signed for the delivery.

True to her promise of arranging a special 'little evening' for the bride-to-be, Elizabeth worked with Aaron's sister Alyssa to book local vendors and arranged for all the women already in town to share in-room fruit and tea, a spa experience with their choice of mani-pedi, facial or a mini massage. Catherine and Alyssa, as honor attendant and bridesmaid insisted on treating their official and soon to be official sister-in-law to the hotel spa's special 'cocoa massage' which Mary absolutely loved.

The pampering was followed by the ladies enjoying some additional activities and a dinner of appetizers and desserts in the suite Elizabeth and Joseph had booked for the week of the wedding.

Aaron's mother Sue lived quite close to the hotel and since her husband, son and grandson were having an outing at their favorite arcade, it was decided Ramon would pick her up later.

Mary and Joan would share the room Deb booked for the night and since John was arriving later in the week, Alyssa took Carrie up on her offer to stay with her so she wouldn't have to drive home until morning.

As the waiters, who looked to be about Cody's age, finished their task, Joan moved closer to inspect the large platters of food covered by silver domes.

They both smiled and greeted the little girl with the fancy ribbon barrettes fastened in her blond hair - the result of her charming the stylist who'd visited the suite earlier for Mary's 'wedding hair trial run'. Since the bride requested a natural, slightly wavy look which didn't take very long to achieve, the woman offered to do a little something for the girl who reminded her of her granddaughter.

"Hi! I have a new pwetty dress for Mama and Daddy's wedding," Joan announced to the smiling young waiters while pointing out her mom. "I'm the f'ower girl again."

"You are?" the taller boy answered. "That's awesome." He offered a fist to bump, which Joan did with glee. Exchanging a look with a smiling Ang and Nonna, he shrugged with a grin. "My sister's five." Turning back to Joan he said, "Have fun at the wedding," and added, "Congratulations, ma'am," to Mary before his co-worker echoed the same and they left with the trays after setting eight kinds of appetizers, various beverages and a tray of mini pastries on two tables.

No sooner had they left, the ladies began to try the array of appetizers. Joan sat happily between Grace and her Aunt Alyssa as she munched away.

"These are nummy. Can we have them at our house, Mama?" she asked as she held up a partially eaten spanakopita.

"I have an easy recipe, actually," Alyssa told her. "Next time I come over, we'll make some."

"Yay!" Joan said, while reaching for a cheese puff.

* * *

Mary and Elizabeth were last to fill their plates. They took seats on an overstuffed loveseat and placed their food on a low coffee table. Sensing her mood, Elizabeth wrapped an arm around the young woman she'd come to love as family.

"We're very proud of you. Joseph and I both. And Mom, of course."

Mary blinked quickly. "I … thank you. For that, for today …" She waved a hand. "For all of this. I never imagined …" She trailed off and leaned into Elizabeth's one armed embrace. "I love you guys. I used to wish …" She shook her head. "You know what? It came true." They shared a smile. "Steve and I … we have a family again."

"And ours expanded." Elizabeth grinned, and giving her hand a squeeze, glanced at Catherine who was watching from across the room with a soft smile.

A knock on the door had Carrie opening it to reveal Steve, who was carrying Angie. He poked his head in and said, "Coast clear?" with a smile.

Joan answered with a resounding, "Hi, Uncle Steve! Hi, Baby Angie!" before Carrie could speak. She abandoned her egg-roll and quickly crossed the room to kiss them both as he kneeled to her level. She turned to Aaron's mom and sister. "Look Ann 'Lyssa, Gwamma Sue, it's my cousin, Baby Angie!"

Catherine smiled and took Angie from Steve so he could lift Joan, kissing first the baby then her husband. "Hi, baby girl, are you all ready for bed?" she sing-songed as the other women in the room gathered closer to see the little one.

Alyssa greeted Steve and fussed over Angie who was decked out in navy blue and white polka dots with matching socks. "Oh, look at you in your adorable jammies."

Sue turned to her future daughter-in-law. "You're right, Mary, she looks even more like Catherine than in the birth announcement photo."

Steve beamed. "She's brilliant like Cath, too." He nodded and bent to kiss his wife's cheek. "We just came to say goodnight." After everyone spent a few seconds cooing over Angie and Steve had snagged and eaten an empanada and an egg-roll, he took the baby back from Catherine, who held onto one tiny hand. "Hopefully she'll be fast asleep by the time you get back."

"I'll be in around midnight. I'll call you when we're done here so you can send Dad back." She grinned. Joseph was happily hanging out with Angie and Steve until given the "all clear" to return to the suite for the night. "What's he doing?"

"Ordering us a couple of burgers. He fed Angie and did her bath while I ran to the hotel gym." Steve smiled. Joseph was reveling in his role as grandpa as usual. "I'm gonna go. Angie just wanted to say goodnight." He squeezed Catherine's hand.

As he looked across the room he caught sight of his sister's expression. "Hey, Mare, having fun?"

Mary nodded. She'd been standing near Ang and Deb, looking at the group of family and friends with an expression akin to wonderment. "Are you kidding? The time of my life." Her eyes shone and her smile was broad and happy as Grace motioned for her and Carrie to join her in a photo.

For a second, Catherine imagined the displaced little girl who, like Steve, assumed she'd never be surrounded by family again. While he'd channeled his loneliness and anger into becoming an outstanding student, naval officer and SEAL, the less confident Mary had turned hers inward, further chipping away at her self esteem. She'd come so far from the girl Catherine had first met. Smiling at the thought, she kissed her daughter once more and moved to her sister-in-law's side. Sliding an arm around the shorter woman, she pulled her into a hug.

"Okay," Mary said with a swipe at a stray tear. "Before the happy tears turn into Niagara Falls, I think we should eat." She moved to where her brother stood and kissed her niece. "And you should take your daddy back to your room before he gloms my dinner." She chuckled.

"Excuse me? Who used to eat the vegetables you didn't want?" Steve said in mock indignation.

"Well, I want one of those amazing looking mini quiches," Mary said as Steve grabbed a crab cake and ate it with a smirk while heading out the door with Angie.

Before the door closed behind him, he and Catherine exchanged a look. Their silent conversation about how far his little sister had come and how happy it made them both was evident in their mutual smiles.

* * *

At just about midnight. Catherine's key card in the door had Steve pushing up on his elbows.

"Hey, have fun?"

"Mmmhmm," she said from inside her top as she tugged it over her head. "Mary couldn't stop smiling." She sat on the bed and slid off her jeans. "It's good to see her like that. She's come such a long way. I'm so happy for her."

Catherine donned a tank top and sleep shorts, peeked at a sleeping Angie and crawled in next to Steve with a sigh.

Steve pulled her close and kissed her. "You did it again, you know."

"Did what?" She looked in his eyes in the dim light.

"Helped Mary. Your friendship helped build her confidence. Your parents and Grandma Ang built on that …"

"Steve … I just…"

"No 'just' about it. Mary attracted people she thought she deserved. Friends, boyfriends, lowlifes. You helped change that. Not to mention we're closer because of you. We'd probably still be in touch a few times a year otherwise. And I doubt she'd be with Aaron, she wouldn't have had the confidence to believe a decent guy loved her."

"Mary was ready to change, I just helped support that. I'm happy Aaron and Mary found each other. That's what's important. And you're a wonderful brother and uncle."

"Not always."

"Because of circumstance. Your relationship with your sister returned to what it would have been."

"Because you …"

"Ahh, if I helped nudge that a little, great. But seeing you and Mary happy, that's what matters." She kissed him and ran her fingers over his jaw.

They were silent for a minute before he spoke again.

"It was incredible of Elizabeth to arrange today. I tried to offer …" He shook his head. His mother-in-law had waved away the offer to help with the cost.

She smiled. "Me, too. She wouldn't hear of it."

He pulled her closer and kissed her temple. "I'm happy she's in Mary's life. It makes up for … a lot."

"Mom is, too. She loves Mary and Joan."

Steve sighed and closed his eyes. Happy to be where he was. Lying with his wife, their daughter just feet away. Ready to celebrate his sister's marriage because she, too, had found the love and family that at one time seemed beyond their grasp. He placed a soft kiss on Catherine's head.

"Thanks, Cath," he whispered.

"For what?" Her eyes shown in the dim light.

"As usual … everything."

 _End thanks for reading_

* * *

 _Sammy & Ilna - love you both. Good times and bad, you're always there. La famiglia._

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